The invention relates to telephones and more particularly to mobile cellular telephones for motor vehicular use.
Current mobile telephones are patterned after home and office equipment and are difficult to locate in motor vehicles. The crowded condition, which exists in vehicle interiors, results in a need for concepts in mobile telephones which can save space in the vehicle interiors. Moreover, the current telephone locations cause safety concerns. For example, the current locations on instrument panels and consoles require the driver to divert his attention from the road when utilizing the telephone and the telephones may impact, or be impacted by, the driver or passenger in a collision situation. The current locations are further deficient in that they fail to accommodate a wide range of vehicle designs and sizes. In some cases, the equipment designs have required substantial vehicle modifications to accommodate the equipment within the vehicle and these modifications have increased new model investment costs as well as manufacturing costs.
One improved method of locating a mobile telephone in a motor vehicle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,273 wherein the telephone is mounted in the sunvisor of the vehicle. Whereas this location is an improvement over the instrument panel and console locations in the sense that the driver need not substantially divert his extremely close proximity of the telephone controls to the eyes of the driver can create focusing problems, especially when the driver is using vision correction devices such as eyeglasses or contact lenses.
This invention is directed to the provision of an improved mobile telephone system. More particularly, this invention is directed to the provision of a mobile telephone system which allows the driver to maintain a good view of the road while operating the telephone and which is located at a distance from the driver""s eyes to allow easy focusing on the controls of the telephone.
This invention is further directed to the provision of an improved mobile telephone system which is inexpensive and which does not require any modification of the motor vehicle interior to accommodate the telephone system.
This invention is further directed to the provision of an improved portable telephone.
The invention relates to both a method and an apparatus for providing improved mobile telephone service.
The improved methodology relates to an improved method of providing mobile telephone service for a motor vehicle of the type including a windshield and a power source positioned in the motor vehicle. According to the invention methodology, an electrical connection to the power source is provided proximate the upper central region of the windshield and a telephone is electrically connected to the electrical connection. This methodology positions the telephone in an area that is readily visible by the driver, does not obstruct the driver""s vision, and allows easy focusing on the telephone controls.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the motor vehicle further includes an inside rearview mirror positioned proximate the upper central region of the windshield, and the step of providing an electrical connection on the rearview mirror to the power source comprises providing an electrical connection to the power source. This methodology utilizes the existing rearview mirror to form the foundation for mounting the telephone.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the telephone is portable and includes external electrical connectors and the step of providing an electrical connection on the rearview mirror to the power source comprises providing connector means on the top of the rearview mirror for electrical connection to the telephone connectors. This methodology conveniently positions the portable telephone on top of the rearview mirror in electrical connection with the vehicular power source.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the step of providing an electrical connection to the power source further includes providing a socket on the rearview mirror including the electrical connectors, and the step of removably electrically connecting a portable telephone to the electrical connectors comprises positioning the portable telephone in the socket with the electrical connectors of the telephone connected to the electrical connectors of the socket.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the step of providing a socket on the rearview mirror comprises providing a holster sized to receive the portable telephone and positioning the holster on the rearview mirror.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the portable telephone further includes a battery and the method includes the further step of providing means on the rearview mirror to recharge the battery.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the step of providing means on the rearview mirror to recharge the battery includes providing a pocket in the rearview mirror sized to receive the battery and providing an electrical connection in the pocket to the vehicular power source so as to electrically connect the vehicular power source to a battery inserted in the pocket.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the method includes the further steps of providing a separate speaker/microphone, providing an elongated flexible extension member, providing an input jack on the rearview mirror, positioning the speaker/microphone on one end of the elongated flexible extension member, and plugging the other end of the elongated flexible extension member into the input jack.
The invention further provides a mirror assembly for use with a motor vehicle of the type including a windshield and a power source positioned within the vehicle. The invention mirror assembly includes an inside rearview mirror adapted to be secured within the vehicle in a position proximate the upper central region of the windshield, a telephone on the mirror, and means establishing electrical connection between the telephone and the power source with the telephone mounted on the mirror.
In one embodiment of the invention mirror assembly, the telephone is removably mounted on the mirror by mounting means including a holster secured to the top of the mirror and defining a socket for receipt of the mobile telephone.
In further embodiments of the invention mirror assembly, at least one of the components of the telephone is built into the casing of the mirror.
According to a further feature of the invention mirror assembly, the mirror assembly further includes means for recharging the battery of the portable telephone. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the recharging means includes a pocket opening in the top of the mirror and sized to receive the battery.
According to a further feature of the invention mirror assembly, the mirror assembly further includes a separate speaker/microphone and means for physically and electrically connecting the speaker/microphone to the mirror with the speaker/microphone positioned remote from the mirror and proximate the driver of the vehicle. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the connecting means includes a flexible cable connected at one end to the mirror and mounting the speaker/microphone at its other, free end.
The invention also provides an improved portable or personal telephone. The improved portable telephone of the invention comprises an outgoing message microphone member, an incoming message speaker member, and means operative to vary the spacing between the members. This arrangement allows the microphone and speaker members to be positioned relatively close to each other for compactness to improve the portability and stowability of the telephone, and allows the microphone and speaker to be selectively spaced further apart to facilitate association of the microphone member with the mouth of the user and association of the speaker member with the ear of the user. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the telephone includes a housing, the microphone member is mounted in the housing, and the telephone further includes means operative to move the speaker member to a stored position proximate the housing and an operative position spaced from the housing. The operative means may comprise, for example, an arm pivotally mounted at one end on the housing and mounting the speaker member at its other end.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.